Pointed cutters are used in very hard limestones where they increase the point loading exerted by each cutter. This causes the formation to begin to fail before any shearing takes place. High speed video laboratory testing was used to test these cutters.

Tests were performed in Great Scar Limestone (Carboniferous) with an unconfined compressive strength of 19000psi. Down hole compressive strength is 38000psi. This limestone is representative of hard limestone found in the Tor (N. Sea Upper Cretaceous chalk).
The video shows laboratory testing, at 85rpm and 1.5mm depth of cut, of 13mm round cutter, 13mm pointed cutter and a combination of round and pointed.